Author: Robert DeSaeger

Dear Dr. von Friedrichs-Fitzwater:
Dignity Health is please to support Joshua’s House, a hospice house for the terminally ill homeless, on the Loaves & Fishes campus in Sacramento. We are aware that, on average, one homeless person dies on the street every week in Sacramento Count and that number has steadily increase in the past few years. This translates into rates three times higher than the housed population in Sacramento County. Approximately 38% die alone on the streets and 35% die in emergency rooms or as inpatients.
Homelessness is a significant health concern in our region and we believe a hospice house is a much-needed addition to Sacramento’s continuum of care. No person should ever be forced to live their final days, weeks or months living on the streets without adequate access to services that provide comfort and dignity.

Dignity Health agrees that having a safe, comfortable, home-like facility for our terminally ill homeless neighbors where they would receive hospice case, have private rooms, regular meals and opportunities to interact with each other as well as caring volunteers would allow them to die with dignity and respect. The opportunity to keep their beloved pets with them is an added benefit.

Equally important, Joshua’s House would serve to significantly reduce healthcare costs while providing quality hospice care to those are terminally ill in the homeless community. Joshua’s house would provide a safe place for Dignity Health and other local hospitals to discharge terminally ill homeless patients with the knowledge that patients would receive quality hospice care! Hospice care significantly reduces the costs of re-occurring ambulance usage, ER visits and short terms hospital stays.

We are pleased to partner with you to bring much-needed hospice care to our homeless community and ensure that the poorest among us have an opportunity to die with dignity and respect.

Sincerely,
Ashley Brand
Director, Community Health and Outreach
Dignity Health

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Dear Dr. von Friederichs-Fitzwater:

As Mayor-elect of Sacramento, I am pleased to support Joshua’s House, a hospice house for the terminally ill homeless, on the Loaves & Fishes campus in Sacramento. I am aware that, on average, one homeless person dies on the streets every week in Sacramento County and that number has steadily increased in the past few years. This translates into rates three times higher than the housed population in Sacramento County. Approximately 38% die alone on the streets and 35% die in emergency rooms or as inpatients. Cardiovascular disease and internal disease (AIDS, cancer, etc.) account for more than 20% of deaths in this population.

Homelessness is going to be a top-tier priority for my administration and I believe a hospice house is a much-needed addition to Sacramento’s continuum of care. No person should ever be forced to live their final days, weeks or months living on the streets without adequate access to services that provide comfort and dignity.

I agree that having a safe, comfortable, home-like facility for our tenninally ill homeless neighbors where they would receive hospice care, have private rooms, regular meals and oppo1tunities to interact with each other as well as caring volunteers would allow them to die with dignity and respect. The oppo1tunity to keep their pets with them will be an added benefit.

Equally important, Joshua’s House would serve to significantly reduce healthcare costs while providing quality hospice care to those who are terminally ill in the homeless community. The largest “service” cost for the city and county is the cost for the Fire Department to transpott people experiencing homelessness in ambulances. Joshua’s House would provide a place for local hospitals to discharge terminally ill homeless patients with the knowledge that patients would receive quality hospice care! Hospice care significantly reduces the costs of re-occuning ambulance usage, ER visits and hospital stays.

I am pleased to partner with you to bring much-needed hospice care to our homeless community and ensure that the poorest among us have an opportunity to die with dignity and respect.

Sincerely,
Danell Steinberg

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Dear Marlene:

The Board of Directors, as well as the entire Leadership Team, at Yolo Hospice is truly pleased to support your vision for Joshua’s House in Sacramento. The concept of creating a hospice home for people who are terminally ill and homeless is perhaps one of the most compassionate and sensible initiatives our community can support.

The need for this type of supportive environment and care has long outpaced the availability of housing for homeless people who have a life-limiting illness. As a member of the National Partnership for Hospice Innovation, we are committed to providing a crucial safety net for our communities’ sickest and most vulnerable populations. In fact, it is our mission to “Serve our communities by providing the highest level of care for every patient, every family, every time.” Often, that means extending care to the homeless or to individuals who are unable to pay for care, and who are not eligible to receive Medicare, Medi-Cal, or private insurance.

The past decade has produced volumes of research that confirms what those of us in hospice have always known … people who can access hospice earlier in their diagnosis actually live longer and have a higher quality of life. In addition, hospice care keeps terminally ill people out of the hospitals and emergency rooms, thereby reducing healthcare costs in a significant way. Simply put, it is better care for a fraction of the cost.

Yolo Hospice is the first-established hospice provider in the Sacramento Valley and one of just a few programs in Northern California that operates a 4-Star Veterans Program. We will be honored to provide whatever support, leadership, and resources we can to ensure that Joshua’s House is successful and will be a safe supportive refuge for our homeless brothers and sisters.

Kind regards,
Craig Dresang
Chief Executive Officer, Yolo Hospice

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Dear Dr. von Friederichs-Fitzwater:

Sacramento Loaves & Fishes is pleased to support Joshua’s House, a hospice house for the terminally ill homeless, on the Loaves & Fishes campus in Sacramento. We are aware that, on average, one homeless person dies on the streets every week in Sacramento County and that number has steadily increased in the past few years. This translates into rates three times higher than the housed population in Sacramento County. Approximately 38% die alone on the streets and 35% die in emergency rooms or as inpatients. Cardiovascular disease and internal disease (AIDS, cancer, etc.) account for more than 20% of deaths in this population.

I am the Executive Director of Sacramento Loaves & Fishes. We are one of the largest and most comprehensive non-profit organizations in the Sacramento area that serves homeless men, women, and children. Our mission is “In an environment of welcome, hospitality, safety and cleanliness we seek to provide an oasis for homeless men, women and children seeking survival services”. Our philosophy of service is based on Matthew 25:40: “as often as you did it to the least of my brothers and sisters you did it to me”. On any given day, we serve 600 -800 poor and homeless guests through our 12 programs located on our 5-acre campus in downtown Sacramento, Ca.

We agree that having a safe, comfortable, home-like facility for our terminally ill homeless neighbors where they would receive hospice care, have private rooms, regular meals and opportunities to interact with each other as well as caring volunteers would allow them to die with dignity and respect. The opportunity to keep their pets with them will be an added benefit.

Equally important, Joshua’s House would serve to significantly reduce healthcare costs while providing quality hospice care to those who are terminally ill in the homeless community. The largest “service” cost for the city and county is the cost for the Fire Department to transport people experiencing homelessness in ambulances. Joshua’s House would provide a place for local hospitals to discharge terminally ill homeless patients with the knowledge that patients would receive quality hospice care! Hospice care significantly reduces the costs of re-occurring ambulance usage, ER visits and sort term hospital stays.

We are pleased to partner with you to bring much-needed hospice care to our homeless community and ensure that the poorest among us have an opportunity to die with dignity and respect.

Sincerely,
Sister Libby Fernandez, RSM (Religious Sister of Mercy)
Executive Director, Loaves & Fishes

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Dear Dr. von Friederichs-Fitzwater:

Sutter Health is pleased to support the planning phase of Joshua’s House, a hospice for the terminally ill homeless on the Loaves & Fishes campus in Sacramento. We are aware that, on average, one homeless person dies on the streets every week in Sacramento County and that number has steadily increased in the past few years. This translates into rates three times higher than the housed population in Sacramento County. Approximately 38% die alone on the streets and 35% die in emergency rooms or as inpatients. Cardiovascular disease and internal disease (AIDS, cancer, etc.) account for more than 20% of deaths in this population.

At Sutter Health, we are committed to working with partners across our region to support effective solutions to support housing and end homelessness. Our $15,000 investment in Health Communication Research Institute and support of the Joshua’s House project is part of our ongoing commitment to improving the health of the communities we serve and well-being of our entire region.

We are pleased to partner with you to bring much-needed hospice care to our homeless community and ensure that the poorest among us have an opportunity to experience their final days with dignity and respect.

Sincerely,
Holly Harper
Community Benefit Manager, Sutter Health Valley Area

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